Campaign Promises as Catalysts of Insecurity: The Political Economy of Youths’ and Women’s Disillusionment in Zambia

ABSTRACT:

This article examines how unmet campaign promises function as catalysts of social, economic, and political insecurity among youths and women in Zambia. Drawing on a political economy lens and theories of relative deprivation, clientelism, and social contract, the study explores how electoral rhetoric produces expectations that, when unfulfilled, contribute to disillusionment, mistrust in institutions, and perceived and real forms of insecurity. Using a qualitative research design based on document review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions conducted in Lusaka, Copperbelt, and Eastern Provinces, the article demonstrates that campaign promises related to jobs, empowerment funds, social protection, and gender inclusion are central to electoral mobilization. However, gaps between promises and implementation generate feelings of betrayal, erode democratic legitimacy, intensify economic precarity, and may foster susceptibility to political manipulation and social unrest. The findings highlight that while campaign promises can be important tools for democratic accountability, in the Zambian context they frequently operate as instruments of symbolic politics that mask structural constraints and elite bargaining. The article concludes that reducing promise or performance gaps, institutionalizing programmatic politics, and strengthening accountability mechanisms are essential to mitigating insecurities and rebuilding trust among youths and women.

Keywords: Campaign Promises, Political Economy, Insecurity, Youth, Women, Zambia, Disillusionment